According to recent reports from an international MMA outlet, Robert Whittaker will be making his UFC light heavyweight debut against Nikita Krylov at UFC 329 during International Fight Week 2026 on July 11th.
The former UFC middleweight titleholder, between 2017 and 2019, was unsuccessful in his two most recent outings, getting submitted by Khamzat Chimaev in 2024, then falling short on the judges scorecards’ against Reinier de Ridder in 2025. But many feel that a jump up to light heavyweight is exactly what Whittaker’s career could use at this stage in his career.
While this news is being reported on by reputable sources, this is not a confirmed matchup for UFC 329, and no statement or announcement on the fight has been made by the promotion.
Whittaker, 35, has been around for a long, long time. The popular New Zealand fighter first competed in UFC’s welterweight division from 2012-2014 before making a move to middleweight. From there, Whittaker racked off an impressive 14-5 record, which includes a win over Yoel Romero at UFC 213 to claim interim UFC gold (he was later promoted to undisputed champion). Whittaker is coming off back-to-back losses to Khamzat Chimaev and Reinier de Ridder, though, so a change in scenery could be nice for “Reaper.”
Krylov, 34, has has a rough go since returning to competition in 2025 following a two-year hiatus from the sport. After dropping consecutive knockouts losses to Dominick Reyes and Bogdan Guskov the veteran light heavyweight did score a finish over Modestas Bukauskas his last time out at UFC 324 this past January. That’s a good win to stop the bleeding, but Krylov is far from the contender he once was at 205 pounds. That could all change with a marquee win over a former champion like Whittaker.